Apparatus for play and sport



pil 19, 1938. R, HElMERs Y 2,l4,562

APPARATUS FOR PLAY AMD SPORT Filed Aug. 6, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet l .ll MANN y l l RUDOLF H/MERS.

April 19, 1938.. R. HEIMERS 214p562 APPARATUS PoR PLAY AMD SPORT Filed Aug. 6, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 /Nx/E/v'rQ/,

Ru Dom: HE//vz ERS.

gy CMA a. l,

ATTORNEY.

April 19, 1938. R. HEIMRS 2,114,562

APPARATUS FOK PLAY AMD SPORT Filed Aug. 6, 1956 5 Sheen-Sheet 3 /A/VENTOR) RUDOLF HEM/51%.

ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 19, 1938 UNTED STATES APPARATUS FOR PLAY AND SPORT Rudolf Heimers, Mexico, D. F., Mexico Application August 6, i936, serial No. 94,657

In Mexico August 7, 1935 f 9 Claims.

The invention relates to improvements in apparatus for play and sport in which a movable carrier for one'or more persons is suspended by ropes or belts winding and unwinding themselves alternately on wheels connected with one or more ywheels, in order to produce alternate ascending and descending motions of the carrier with its load, incident to the momentum of the rotating flywheel, as has already been disclosed in the U. S. Patent No. 1,991,459.

The invention has for its object to provide devices of this class having mechanical or manual means for winding directly or indirectly the belts supporting the carrier on their respective wheels, until the carrier has reachedits highest position 0r any desired height, whereupon the elements `driving the shaft of the flywheel 'and the wheels carrying the winding means are disconnected, permitting said carrier to descend by its own weight and making it ascend again as the belts wind themselves in a contrary direction on the wheels continuing to rotate incident to the momentum of the rotating flywheel, such vertical reciprocating movements of the carrierV being continued until brought to a stop by inertia of the ywheel, `or by braking.

It is another object of the invention to 'provide means to permit a free and uniform play of the belts supporting the carrier at their point of connection to their Wheels, so asto reduce to a minimum the wear on this place during their alternate winding and unwinding in both directions of rotation.

Different forms of construction of apparatus embodying the aforesaid features are shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows an apparatus having a plurality of carriers with reciprocating motion mounted upon a central tower and rotatable in the form of a merry-goround- Figure 2 is a top View of the guiding member carrying the bar acting as a carrier.

Figure 3 is a lateral view of the same guiding member.

Figure 4 shows another apparatus in which the initial ascending motion of the carrier is obtained by alternate pulling of two ropes by the person sitting on the carrier. f

Figure 5 is a sectional view on line a-a of Figure 4, showing the arrangement of the gears operating the flywheels.

Figure 6 is a top View of the apparatus shown in Figure 4.

Figure 7 is a sectional View on line b -h of (Cl. 2'72--40)` p p ,v

Figure 4, of one 'of the supports of the apparatus, with the shock-absorbing device. Y

Figure 8 represents still another embodiment of the apparatus, in which the initial ascending motion is obtained bypdalsw f f Figures 9 and 10 illustrate'two different positions of the connecting and disconnecting mechanism of the apparatus shown in Figure'.

Figure 11 is a top view oi the supporting levers and of the disconnecting lever of the mechanism shown in Figures 9 and'lO.` 'Y l Figurevlz shows a device for lengthening and shortening the belts supporting the carriers.

The apparatus shown'inFigu're 1 is constructed in form of a merry-goiround,"with 'a sta-fy tionary central "supporting'towen I Vand avertical shaft 2 rotatable through 'conical gears 3 from a motor not shown'.l On top of the tower 'I' there is mounted a conical gear wheel 4 iixedly supported .by a cylindrical hollow memberZEL and engaging a number-of smaller conical gears 5 mounted on 20 the vinner er'idsof` radially extending yshafts 6 which passv through' bearings suspended `from horizontal larms 'l extendingy radially in ithe known manner from a'centrali'hub `-'secured above the conical gear wheel lieto the shaft 2, the outer extremities of thearms l, unite'dby bracesfbeing suspended from .the top fof Athe lshaft Z'by bars I0, following'the usual construction of merry-go-rounds'.

Each one vof the horizontal shafts vlfcarries suspended from twofof itsbearings 6a, a frame I I bent in form of a U andpreferably made from metalr tubes, the'lower parts of 4these frames al# most reaching the ground or the platform on 35 whichthe apparatus ismounted. Attached to the inner lower ypart of said `framethere are rollers I2 bearing against a metal ring I3 placed around the lower part of the tower I, saidrollers acting yas guides preventing kthe contacttof the-frames o II with the legs of the tower I.

Between the bearingsy 6a are placed Von vthe shafts 6 the wheels I4 having lateral anges which leave a central portion for the winding and unwinding of the beltslf` -Each of said shafts 6 :45 also carries a Aflywheel lr6.

I yThe lower extremities of :the belts |501.A each shaft 6 are secured to a horizontal bar I1, the ends'ofnwhich are provided-with guiding members4 (Figures 2 and :3); comprising a U-shapeol casing ifor straddling the' vertical side tubes of frame II, andl a-'pivoted arm i9 supporting a roller 2H) normally held spaced l.from'tlfie-'tube II bystops22 against whichthearm I9-is attracted by springs 2 I,so as to bring said vroller 12E) inv con- L tact with the tube I I only in case the bar I1 takes an oblique position through rupture of one of the belts I5, in which case said roller acts as a brake. Friction-reducing means such as rotating metal balls 24 are provided within the casing I8 and bear against the outside of the tubes I I. Elastic shock absorbers 26 at theV lower part of the frames II receive the guides of the carri-ers I1 in case of rupture of the belts I5. Y

On the bars I1 may beV mounted a wooden horse 23 or any other figure, support or seat, or a plurality of them, on which sit or stand the persons using the apparatus.

As the merry-go-round is rotated by its central shaft 2, the stationary conical gear 4, not con-- nected to said shaft rotates the gear wheels 5, the shafts 6, the wheels I4 and the fywlieels t6. The belts I5 are thereby wound on the wheels I4 and the carriers I1 ascend together with the persons supported byV them. As said carriers reach their unpennost vdesired igiositiori,Y vertical stops 21 extending from-the inner guiding members I8 are thrilistaeainst rthe extremity of angular levers 2,8 pivoted to the frame Il, and these levers through a set of articulated levers 2 9 vand 30, displace the conical wheels 5.' slidably mounted on the shafts 6 so as to diseneage them from the central wheel 4. The shatts 6 may therefore turn freelyand the carriers Il with the persons supported by them descend rapidly until the belts I5 are completely unwound. 'Ijhe momentum attained by the flywheels: I5. during the descent of the carriers I1 causes theinto continue their rotation and the beltsA of each shaft are again wound up on the wheels I4, in a Vcontrary direction, producing thereby a second. automatic ascent of the carriers l1. The vertical reciprocating movement of the carriers continues for a certain time, on a proportionally reduced scale, until it stops through inertia of the iiywheels I6. The rotation of thecentral Shaftl 2v is stopped by theV brake band 3 1, and the conical wheels 5 are again brought into, engagement with; the central stationary wheel 4 hypulling on a line 32,. Another line 25 attached to the levers 28 permits the disconnection or the gears 4. and 5 to be ef.- iected at any time.A

In the. apparatus described, the initial ascent of the persons using it is obtained by mechanical means independently of human action. In the following embodiments of the invention, the initial ascent is produced by direct intervention of the persons making use of the apparatus, whereby diierent parts of the body are brought into play and exercised. o

The apparatus represented in Figure 4 comprises two vertical supports consisting preferably of U-.irons 33 on the outside and 'If-irons 34 on the inside, both secured together and the latter serving as'guides. The upper extremities of said supports are connected by a rectangular frame consisting ofV two. horizontal beams 35 separated at the endsby transverse beams 36 attached to the uprights.Y

Slidably disposed along the inner T-irons 34 there is a frame comprising an upper horizontal bar 31- and a lower-horizontal bar 3B, both united by vertical bars 39'. Instead ofk bars, pipes may also` be used. The extrem-ities of the. horizontal members 31 .and 38 are provided with guiding members 4l!v comprising a slotted piece with an i-nnerl layer 4I offlbre orA other suitable material, engaging the inner edge of the T-irons 34. On the lower bar 38 is mounted a seat 42 Vwith supports 43. for the feet, and a railing 44 secured to the vertical members 39 prevents the person sitting on the seat 42 from falling off.

On the transverse members 36 of the upper frame are mounted two bearings 45 through which passes a shaft 46 carrying at each end a flywheel 41 and inside Yof the frame two flanged wheels 48 to which are fastenedV the belts 49 which are also connected to the top of the frame 31-38 forming the carrier. For enabling the persons sitting on said carrier to wind the belts 49 on the wheels 48 and thereby to start by their efforts the initial ascending movement of the carrier, the following device is used.

On the shaft 46 are mounted towards its center two spaced conical gears 50 facing each other. Each of these gears engages another conical gear v5I the shafts of which, outside of their bearings,

are `bent at right angles and support flanged wheels 52, disposed in such a manner that each wheel is situated on a line e'xcentrically prolongating that of the other wheel, in opposite directions, as shown in Figures 4, 5, and 6. To the inner portion of these wheels 52 are attached belts or ropes 53, each one of which passes between a pair of rollers 54 mounted on supports 55 attached to the under side of the beams 35 and bringing said belts or ropes into close proximity. Each belt or rope 53 is provided at its lower end Ywith a handle 56 and also'passes through guides 51 secured to opposite sides of the bar.31.V

The person occupying the seat 42 grasps the handles 56, and starts'pulling down alternately each belt or rope 53. Due to the opposite position of the wheels 52 which prevents the conical gears 5Irfrom ever being at a dead point, these gears start to rotate'in the same direction the ,gears 50 together with the shaft 46 and the flywheels 41. VThese flywheels, through theV momentum acquired, producethe winding of the'belts 49 on the wheels 48 and the carrier is raised. As the shaft 46v continues its rotation, the gears 5I are completely rotated and with them the wheels 52 which turn around the shafts of said gears, whereby the belts or ropes 53 are wound around said wheels 52 proportionally to their shortening due to the ascent of the carrier. Suitable stops 5 8 provided on the belts or ropes 53 limit the extent of the pulling motions. Y

When the carrier 31--38--39 has reached its uppermost position, its upper guiding members 40 strike against levers 59 pivoted to the supports` 3;3 and operate by meansrof a rope 59a the brakes provided on one side of the flywheels 41.l These brakes can also be operated manually by means of levers 6I connected to the same ropes 59a, at a low position of the carrier when it is desired to prevent sai-d carrier from ascendine again.

From its highest position the movable carrier, after a temporary application of the brakes 60 on the ilywheels 41 as described, descends again by its proper weight and the reciprocating vertical movements of the carrier continue until stopped by inertia. Y

In case of a rupture of one or both belts 49 a shock absorber has been provided on both sides of the apparatus, comprising springs 62 mounted Within the U-irons 33 and supporting each a plateY 62a, against which strike two bent arms 63 fastened to the sides of the upper guides 40.

Thevertical members 39 of the carrier may be disconnected from the upper bar 31 by loosening the couplingsV 64 and the lower part of the carrier may be removed. To the remaining upper bar may bel attached some gymnastical apparatus, such as the rings 65 shown in Figure 4, in order to execute gymnastic exercises during the reciprocating movements of the carrier.

In the apparatus illustrated in Figure 8, use is made of pedals for effecting the initial ascent of the carrier. In this apparatus, two vertical supports 66 duly braced carry at their upper ends a horizontal shaft 61 provided on'one end with a, iiywheel 68 with its corresponding brake 69 and towards the center with two conical gears 18 and two flanged wheels 1| connected to the belts 12. The gears 18 engage other conical gears 13 secured to the upper ends of vertical bars 14 provided with longitudinal slots 15 and slidably sup-- ported in upper brackets 16 fastened to the sup ports 66 and lower brackets 11 mounted on the base of the apparatus. The lower-extremities of the bars 14 rest on the ends of centrally pivoted levers 18 and 18a, one of which (18a) is provided with a sidewardly extending pinv 19, whilst the other lever 18, with its extremity bent downward in form of a Z, catches from below the opposite lever 18a carrying the pin 19, as shown in Figures 9 and 10. The pin 19 is detained by a catch 88 pushed forward by a spring 8 I, whereby the levers 18 and 18EL are maintained in the position shown in Figure 8 with their 'outer ends raised and supporting the bars 14 in a position in which their upper gears 13 engage the gears 18 of the shaft 61.

Slidably mounted on the bars 14 are the tubes 82 united by transverse tubes 83 providing a carrier frame suspended from the lower ends of the belts 12. On the lower tube 83are mounted the seats 84 and below this tube,*sustained in the center by a support 85, are mounted the pedals 86, the ends of which carry the worm wheels 81 engaging other Worm wheels 88 mounted loosely on the bars 14, below the tubes 82. The worm wheels 88 engage with an inwardly extending p-in the slots 15 of the bars 14, so as to transmit their rotation to them, enabling at the sametime said worm wheels to ascend and descend along the bars 14. The two sets of worm wheels 81 and 88 are housed in casings 89 fixed to the tubes 82 and shown in dotted lines in Figure 8.

As the persons occupying the seats 84 move the pedals 88, the worm wheels 88 are rotated and communicate their rotation to the bars 14 as described. The gears 13 connected to said bars rotate the gears 18 and consequently the shaft 81, the flywheel 68 and the wheels 1|, whereby the belts 12 are wound on said wheels 1| and raise the carrier 82--83 with the persons sitting on it. As this carrier reaches its highest desired position, an arm 98 extending from the upper part of said carrier strikes a stop 9i on a rope 92 attached with its upper end to a spring 93 suspended from the bracket 18, and with its lower end to the outer extremity of the lever 94, the opposite extremity of which, pushed upwardly by a spring 95 stronger than the spring 93, engages from above the pin 19 of the lever 18a. As the rope 92 is pulled upward by the arm 98 striking the stop 9|, it pulls down the opposite end of the lever 94 and this end first slides down along the inclined surface of the upper part of the catch 88 (Figure 1l), disengaging the pin 19, and immediately afterwards bears against an inclined projecting surface 88a provided transversally on said catch and pushes the latter backward, freeing the pin 19 from engagement with said catch. The weight of the bars 14 on the ends of the levers 18 and 18a depresses these levers (Figure 9) and as the bars 14 descend, their gears 13 are disengaged from the gears 18.

The carrier 82--83 then slides down along the bars 14 without the pedals being moved and continues its vertical reciprocating movements until stopped by inertia. Shook absorbers in form of springs 96 supported on the lower brackets. 11 and surrounding the bars 18 receive the impact of. the carrier in case of rupture of one or both belts 12.

For returning the levers 'i8 and 'i8a to their former positions, with the bars 14 raised and the gears 18 and 13 engaged, the rope 92 is pulled upward. whereby the inner extremity of the lever 94, being in the position shown in Figure .l after having returned from the position of Figure 9, engages the pin 18 and pushes it down, together with the levers 18 and 18a, until said pin is caught again under the catch 88.

For applying the brake 69 to the flywheel 68 during the reciprocating motions of the carrier S32- 83, another rope 91 has been provided, connected with said brake 89 and passing between a set of three rollers 98 extending from a casing 99 attachedv to one of the tubes 82, the braking effect being obtained by shortening said rope 91 through displacement of the middle roller by suitable means |88 against the fixed rollers.

In Figure l2 has been shown a device by means of which the belts. supporting the carriers in all of the embodiments shown may be lengthened or shortened. It is advisable, for instance, to dispose of a reserve length of belt in case it should break vat its point of attachment to its corresponding wheel, where it is most likely to wear out. The device consists of a short length of tube I8! loosely mounted on the bar to which the lower extremity of the belt is attached, and provided with means such as collars, screws etc. to secure it rigidly to said bar. Around this outer tube |8| is placed and clamped a collar |82 formed of two parts and having an opening at its center within which a certain length of the belt is wound around the tube |8i, this belt passing afterwards alternately `through a series of slots provided in an extension formed on one part of the collar l82 and being pressed against one of the solid parts of said extension by a transversal metal strip l 84 attached by screws |85.

A preferred mode of fastening to their respective wheels all of the belts supporting the carriers is shown applied to the wheels 52 of Figure 4., in which is shown the end of the belt riveted to a bent metal strip through which passes a bolt |81 crossing the wheel. Back of this bolt there is a recess in the cylindrical middle portion |86 of the wheel, on which the belt is wound, so that as the direction of rotation of the wheel is reversed, the end of the belt may freely turn on its bolt without being bent at this place.

Obviously, changes in the details of construction may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and therefore I do not wish to limit myself to the specific constructions shown and described.

What I claim is:

1. Apparatus for play and sport, comprising a flywheel mounted upon a shaft at an elevated point for rotation in reverse directions, a carrier element below the flywheel, wheels upon the said shaft rotating with the flywheel, driving means for the said shaft, winding means connected to said wheels to be wound and unwound thereon, and also connected to the carrier element, and means connecting and disconnecting the driving elements of the shaft carrying the flywheel and the Wheels for the winding means,

the carrier element beingV arranged for Vertical reciprocating movementJ to impart reverse rotations to the ilywheel and for being pulled thereafter by the winding up of the Winding means incident to momentum of the rotating flywheel'.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, including a plurality of said vertically movable carrier elements. arranged radially around a central sup-Y port, and means for rotating said central support and the carrier elements.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, including a plurality of said vertically movable carrier elements, a central rotatable support having said carrier elements radially disposed around it, means operated by the rotation of said support to impart initial rotation to the flywheels and the Wheels connected to the .Winding means, and means operated independently from the rotation of said support to engage and disengage'the driving elements imparting the rotation to the fly- Wheels.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which the means imparting initial rotation to the flywheel and the Wheels connected to the Winding means comprise elements for rotating the shaft of said flywheel and said Wheels by alternate pulls on ropes eiected by the person occupying the carrier element.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, including braking means for the ywheel operated automatically by the ascending carrier element and independently by the person occupying the carrier element. Y

6. Apparatus as claimed in claimil', in Which the means imparting rotation to the ywheel and the Wheels connected to the Winding means comprisepedals operated by the person occupying the carrier element and actuating the elements rotatingv said ilywheel and Wheels, and means operated by the person occupying the carrier element for applying a braking action to the ywheel.

7; Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which the means imparting rotation to the ywheel and the Wheels connected to the Winding means comprise pedals operated by the person occupying the carrier element and actuating the elements-rotating said flywheel and Wheels, means operated by the person occupying the carrier element for applying a braking action to the flywheel, vertically movable supports on which the carrier element is.V slidably mounted, and pivoted elements on which said movable supports rest'and which during the ascent of the carrier element cause engagement of the elements rotating the'flywheel and when the ascent is completed cause said movable supports to drop out of engagement with said elements rotating the flywheel. Y

8; Apparatus as claimed in claim l, in which belts forming the Winding means or attached to their respective wheels by a doubled end surrounding a bolt transversally mounted in said wheels, thev central portion of said wheels havingga recess permitting free movement of said doubled end.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, including adjustable means for taking'up a surplus of the winding means secured to the carrier element.

Y RUDOLF HEIMERS. 

